# Nichole Galicia
**Nichole Galicia** (full name Nichole Mercedes Robinson) is a Panamanian-born American actress and model best known for playing Sheba in [Quentin Tarantino](https://www.edgepedia.org/quentin-tarantino)'s *Django Unchained* (2012) and Kindzi in the third season of the Syfy science fiction series *[Defiance](https://www.edgepedia.org/defiance-tv-series)*.[1](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=17400) Born in Panama, she began her career as a high fashion model in Europe and New York before moving into film and television.[2](https://entities.oclc.org/worldcat/entity/E39PBJkXt8VPxr9j3TmX83dWjC.html) • [3](https://watch.plex.tv/nl/person/nichole-galicia)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1975, Panama City, Panama; Panamanian-born American actress and model[2](https://entities.oclc.org/worldcat/entity/E39PBJkXt8VPxr9j3TmX83dWjC.html) • [1](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=17400) |
| Full name | Nichole Mercedes Robinson; early TV credits used the name Nichole Mercedes Robinson[1](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=17400) |
| Breakout role | Sheba, one of Calvin Candie's enslaved "Ponies", in *Django Unchained* (2012), hand-picked by Quentin Tarantino[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3052597/) • [5](https://wiki.tarantino.info/index.php/Sheba) |
| Signature TV role | Kindzi, alpha female of the alien Omec race, in *Defiance* season 3 (2015, 11 episodes)[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3052597/) |
| Recent series work | Rebecca in *Mayor of Kingstown* (2021–2025, 26 episodes), confirmed to return for the fifth and final season[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3052597/) • [6](https://www.imdb.com/de/name/nm0732945/news/) |
| Modeling credits | Ad campaigns for The Gap, Pepsi, Neutrogena, and Hanes; pages of GQ, Vogue, and Elle[7](https://www.gazettedubonton.com/the-talk-4/nicholegalicia) |
| Other activities | Author of an art book on her Equipo Crónica collection; founder of the Orchid Foundation[7](https://www.gazettedubonton.com/the-talk-4/nicholegalicia) • [4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3052597/) |
## Background
Galicia was born in [Panama City](https://www.edgepedia.org/panama-city), Panama, and grew up in New York.[2](https://entities.oclc.org/worldcat/entity/E39PBJkXt8VPxr9j3TmX83dWjC.html) • [7](https://www.gazettedubonton.com/the-talk-4/nicholegalicia) In a 2015 interview with the Spanish newspaper *La Voz de Galicia* she described Spanish roots on her grandfather's side: her grandfather was Spanish and moved to Panama, where he met her grandmother.[8](https://www.lavozdegalicia.es/noticia/yes/2015/07/17/nichole-galicia-galicia-destino-pendiente/00031437121754233306841.htm) Her surname matches that of the Spanish region of Galicia, which she called her "pending destination" and said she hoped to visit.[8](https://www.lavozdegalicia.es/noticia/yes/2015/07/17/nichole-galicia-galicia-destino-pendiente/00031437121754233306841.htm)
Published birth dates disagree. Most databases, including WorldCat, Rotten Tomatoes, TVSA, and the Spanish portals FormulaTV and eCartelera, give 27 March 1975,[2](https://entities.oclc.org/worldcat/entity/E39PBJkXt8VPxr9j3TmX83dWjC.html) • [9](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/nichole_galicia) • [10](https://www.formulatv.com/personas/nichole-galicia/) while IMDb lists 21 October 1987.[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3052597/)
## Modeling career
Galicia began working as a high fashion model on the runways of Europe and New York.[3](https://watch.plex.tv/nl/person/nichole-galicia) Her modeling credits include ad campaigns for The Gap, Pepsi, Neutrogena, and Hanes, and appearances in GQ, Vogue, and Elle.[7](https://www.gazettedubonton.com/the-talk-4/nicholegalicia) She has said her booker suggested she take acting classes while she was traveling as a model, and that she booked the first acting audition she went on.[7](https://www.gazettedubonton.com/the-talk-4/nicholegalicia) In a 2015 interview she said modeling taught her skills she still uses on screen, including movement, subtlety, and improv, and helped her navigate the business side of acting.[11](https://blavity.com/interview-a-post-django-unchained-career-conversation-w-nichole-galicia-syfys-defiance)
## Django Unchained
Galicia first met Quentin Tarantino when she auditioned for the part of a cheerleader in *Death Proof*, part of the 2007 anthology *[Grindhouse](https://www.edgepedia.org/grindhouse-film)*. She did not get the part; Tarantino told her he had envisioned the character as blond and blue-eyed but promised to keep her in mind for future projects.[12](https://www.wmagazine.com/story/quentin-tarantino-django-unchained-director) • [11](https://blavity.com/interview-a-post-django-unchained-career-conversation-w-nichole-galicia-syfys-defiance) When *Django Unchained* came along, he cast her as Sheba without a screen test opposite [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://www.edgepedia.org/leonardo-dicaprio), according to blackfilm.com.[13](https://www.blackfilm.com/read/exclusive-look-nichole-galicia-tom-wopat-django-unchained/)
Sheba is one of Calvin Candie's enslaved "Ponies" at the Cleopatra Club, and DiCaprio's character's love interest.[5](https://wiki.tarantino.info/index.php/Sheba) • [11](https://blavity.com/interview-a-post-django-unchained-career-conversation-w-nichole-galicia-syfys-defiance) According to *W* magazine, Galicia rented a Gone With the Wind-style ballgown for the audition and was the only candidate dressed in character; Tarantino gave her the part.[12](https://www.wmagazine.com/story/quentin-tarantino-django-unchained-director) The role drew attention in the fashion press after the film's release.[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3052597/) A 2012 *W* magazine photoshoot in which Tarantino posed with Galicia as Sheba was used to promote the film and later drew scholarly criticism for its imagery of domination.[14](https://urresearch.rochester.edu/fileDownloadForInstitutionalItem.action?itemFileId=144130&itemId=28753)
## Television and later film work
Galicia's earlier television credits include Pepper on Showtime's *Huff* (2004–2006), Kara Garland on *CSI: NY* season 5, and Elaine on *Off Centre*, the last credited as Nichole Mercedes Robinson.[15](https://www.sensacine.com/actores/actor-570295/filmografia/) • [1](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=17400) Her film roles from this period include Yvonne Freeman in *[Love Don't Cost a Thing](https://www.edgepedia.org/love-dont-cost-a-thing-film)* (2003) and Mikisha in *Torque* (2004).[15](https://www.sensacine.com/actores/actor-570295/filmografia/)
**Defiance.** In 2015 she played Kindzi, the alpha female of the alien Omec race, as a series regular in the third season of Syfy's *Defiance*, appearing in 11 episodes.[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3052597/) She described the character as a fierce, complicated femme fatale and said playing her helped her grow as an actress.[11](https://blavity.com/interview-a-post-django-unchained-career-conversation-w-nichole-galicia-syfys-defiance)
**Recent work.** Since 2021 she has played Rebecca in the [Paramount+](https://www.edgepedia.org/paramount) crime drama *Mayor of Kingstown*, appearing in 26 episodes through 2025, and was confirmed to return in the recurring role for the show's fifth and final season.[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3052597/) • [6](https://www.imdb.com/de/name/nm0732945/news/) Her other credits include [Charlotte Riley](https://www.edgepedia.org/charlotte-riley) in season 4 of *Yellowstone* (2021), Gwen in *1883* (2021), Marie LeBlanc in *The Family Business: New Orleans* (2025), and the films *Wish I Was Here* (2014), *The Perfect One* (2018), and *Shimmer* (2021).[15](https://www.sensacine.com/actores/actor-570295/filmografia/) • [3](https://watch.plex.tv/nl/person/nichole-galicia) She was also the female lead in the short *...And She Was My Eve*, featured in [Ron Howard](https://www.edgepedia.org/ron-howard)'s Project Imaginat10n film festival.[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3052597/)
## Art collecting and philanthropy
Galicia is an art collector whose favorite artist is [Diego Velázquez](https://www.edgepedia.org/diego-velazquez) and whose favorite museum is the Prado in Madrid.[7](https://www.gazettedubonton.com/the-talk-4/nicholegalicia) She owns dozens of engravings and serigraphs, including works by the Spanish art group Equipo Crónica, and wrote a book about the collection, *Equipo Cronica: The Nichole Kent Collection*; she gave a copy to Tarantino.[7](https://www.gazettedubonton.com/the-talk-4/nicholegalicia) • [16](https://www.lavozdegalicia.es/noticia/cultura/2013/01/23/nichole-galicia-nuevo-amor-dicaprio-cine/0003_201301G23P38992.htm) IMDb titles the book *The Nichole Kent Collection* and describes it as covering her pop art collection.[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3052597/)
She has served on the board of the Junior Committee of the New York Center for Children, a charity fighting child abuse, and founded the Orchid Foundation, through which she mentors girls and provides scholarships; the foundation's Artists for the Orchid Foundation program organizes art events and auctions to fund university scholarships.[7](https://www.gazettedubonton.com/the-talk-4/nicholegalicia) • [4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3052597/) • [17](https://www.artmajeur.com/en/magazine/2-art-news/nichole-galicia-between-cinema-fashion-and-passion-for-contemporary-art/334033)
## References
1. [Nichole Galicia, TVSA](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=17400)
2. [Nichole Galicia, WorldCat Entities](https://entities.oclc.org/worldcat/entity/E39PBJkXt8VPxr9j3TmX83dWjC.html)
3. [Nichole Galicia, Plex](https://watch.plex.tv/nl/person/nichole-galicia)
4. [Nichole Galicia, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3052597/)
5. [Sheba, The Quentin Tarantino Archives](https://wiki.tarantino.info/index.php/Sheba)
6. [Nichole Galicia News, IMDb (Mayor of Kingstown season 5 coverage)](https://www.imdb.com/de/name/nm0732945/news/)
7. [The Talk With Nichole Galicia, Gazette du Bon Ton](https://www.gazettedubonton.com/the-talk-4/nicholegalicia)
8. [Nichole Galicia: «Galicia es mi destino pendiente», La Voz de Galicia](https://www.lavozdegalicia.es/noticia/yes/2015/07/17/nichole-galicia-galicia-destino-pendiente/00031437121754233306841.htm)
9. [Nichole Galicia, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/nichole_galicia)
10. [Nichole Galicia, FormulaTV](https://www.formulatv.com/personas/nichole-galicia/)
11. [Interview: A Post-'Django Unchained' Career Conversation w/ Nichole Galicia, Blavity](https://blavity.com/interview-a-post-django-unchained-career-conversation-w-nichole-galicia-syfys-defiance)
12. [The Movie Lover, W Magazine](https://www.wmagazine.com/story/quentin-tarantino-django-unchained-director)
13. [Exclusive: First Look at Nichole Galicia and Tom Wopat from Django Unchained, Blackfilm.com](https://www.blackfilm.com/read/exclusive-look-nichole-galicia-tom-wopat-django-unchained/)
14. [Vogel, Historical Depictions of Slavery and Civil Rights in 21st Century Cinema, University of Rochester dissertation](https://urresearch.rochester.edu/fileDownloadForInstitutionalItem.action?itemFileId=144130&itemId=28753)
15. [Nichole Galicia: Filmografía, SensaCine](https://www.sensacine.com/actores/actor-570295/filmografia/)
16. [Nichole Galicia, el nuevo amor de DiCaprio en el cine, La Voz de Galicia](https://www.lavozdegalicia.es/noticia/cultura/2013/01/23/nichole-galicia-nuevo-amor-dicaprio-cine/0003_201301G23P38992.htm)
17. [Nichole Galicia: Between Cinema, Fashion and Passion for Contemporary Art, ArtMajeur Magazine](https://www.artmajeur.com/en/magazine/2-art-news/nichole-galicia-between-cinema-fashion-and-passion-for-contemporary-art/334033)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of Latin America and Iberia › Colombian, Andean, and Central American actors*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 19, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 19, 2026; Oct 11, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license